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HERE’S OUR TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORK THIS WEEK
JOHN B KEANE’S SUCCESSFUL TD AT THE CORK OPERA HOUSE
THE Cork Opera House will host two performance of John B Keane’s hilarious political farce ‘ The Successful TD’, starring Jon Kenny and Mary McEvoy next Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Based on Keane’s ‘ The Letters of a Successful TD’ and’ An Irish Minister for State’ the play follows the trials, tribulations and madcap antics of Till McAdoo as he seeks re-election to the Dail in the ‘October Elections’.
Although written five-decades ago, the play displays an edge for humour and satire that is uncomfortably close to today’s political landscape and will have the audience laughing at the antics of its eccentric cast of characters.
Tickets for the show from the venue on 021 427 0022 priced at €26.
STARGAZING WITH CORK TRIO AT THE EVERYMAN PALACE THEATRE
THE Stargazers will launch their new album with a special concert at the Everyman Palace Theatre on Sunday evening with special guest Majella Cullagh.
One of Cork’s most venerable musical institutions Chris Ahern, Ursula O’Sullivan and Johnny Fang Murphy have been playing and recording together since 1983.
Through their music the harmony specialists celebrate the writing genius of Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin and George Gerschwin and the instrumental style of Django Reinhardt and Stephan Grapelli.
Sunday’s concert will see the trio play new material, including their recent single ‘ The Vatican Rag’, as well as revisiting some classics.
Tickets from the venue on 021 450 1673 priced at €25.
SUMMERTIME COMES EARLY WITH THE BURMA AT COUGHLAN’S LIVE
CORK five-piece The Burma will play a free gig tonight at Couglan’s Live on Douglas Street.
Since the beginning of 2016 the band have been recording and producing their own material, launching their debut single ‘In the Summertime’ last August.
Influence by among others The Smiths, The Killers and The Strokes, their jangly guitars and bouncy bass-lines make for a refreshingly melodic sound.
Having cut their teeth at festival’s around the country, including Mitchelstown’s Indiependence and Glasgowbury in Derry, The Burma was also chosen to play Whelan’s ‘One To Watch’ showcase in January.
This is a great opportunity to catch one of Ireland’s most exciting upcoming acts in an intimate venue.
MITCHELSTOWN’S MINDRIOT BRINGING ‘SOUL WITH GRUNT’
MITCHELSTOWN band MindRiot will take to the stage of Cork’s Crane Lane Theatre on Saturday night for a free gig.
With a sound that has been described as “soul music with grunt”, the north Cork three-piece have been compared to such respected musical luminaries as Foo Fighters, The Deftones and Kerbdog.
The band, which has been knocking around in one shape or another since 1992, has been synonymous for their high-octane, exciting live sets, which has seen them pack out venues across the country and play slots at festivals, including a main stage set at Indie 2016.
The band has also earned the respect of their musical peers, sharing stages with the likes of The Stunning, Jape, Jack L and Juliet Turner.
BACK TO THE 80’S WITH STEEL MAGNOLIAS AT THE ARTS THEATRE
THE Blue Hat production company will bring their acclaimed stage version of Robert Harding’s ‘Steel Magnolias’ to the Cork Arts Theatre for five nights from nests Tuesday.
Set in a beauty parlour in Louisiana during the1980’s, this hilarious and touching play features six colourful characters who regularly engage in small town gossip running the full gamut of births, deaths and marriages.
When tragedy touches their lives, bringing pain and loss, audiences see the deep strength and purposefulness of their friendships stripped down and revealed for all to see.
Tickets for the play, priced at €15 (€10 for the opening night), from the venue on 021 450 5624.
ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD AS BAGATELLE RETURN TO CORK
VETERAN Irish favourites Bagatelle will bring their ‘One for the Road’ Tour to the stage of the Ballymaloe Grainstore next Thursday night (St Patrick’s Day eve).
Having competed what was billed as their final tour in 2016, the band bowed to public demand and decided to go back on the road for one final swansong for a series of occasional gigs.
Bagatelle have earned themselves a worthy spot in the pantheon of Irish musical greats, with six number one singles and multi-platinum album sales.
Fans can expect a veritable greatest hits with perennial favourites including ‘Summer in Dublin’, ‘Second Violin’ and ‘Leeson Street Lady’.
Tickets from the venue on 021 564 2531 priced ta €30.
GER WOULFE PLAYING SOLO AT THE SIRIUS ARTS CENTRE IN COBH
THE evergreen Cork singer/songwriter Ger Woulfe will play a gig amid the intimate surroundings of the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh on Friday night.
Over a career spanning more than two decades, Ger has released seven solo albums as well as collaborating with several of his musical comrades under the banner of The New Skylarks.
Ger’s latest album ‘I Have Been Loved’, sees him in a reflective frame of mind as he continues to plough his own furrow through the Irish musical landscape, regardless of fad or fashion.
Tickets for Ger’s Cobh concert are available from the venue on 021 4813790 priced at €15.
DAMIEN FROM DOWN UNDER SET TO DELIVER AT THE COMEDY CLUB
IRELAND’S favourite adopted Aussie comedian, Damien Clark, will play the City Limits Comedy Club on Saturday night with support from Cork’s own Ross Browne and guests.
Damien bust onto the Irish scene in 2007 as the mad Aussie in RTE’s ‘I Dare Ya’, going on to feature in a slew of Irish shows including Republic of Telly, The Savage Eye and Katherine Lynch’s Wonder Women.
Described by The Scotsman as “the world’s wittiest machine gun”, Damien’s quick fire delivery and hilarious style has earned him support slots with Jack Dee and Kevin Bridges among others.
Tickets for his City Limits gig from www.tickets.ie priced at €15.
SPECIAL NIGHT OF TRAD MUSIC AT THE IONAD CULTÚRTHA
THE Ionad Cultúrtha in Ballyvourney will hosts a very special traditional musical documentary on Friday night with performances from some of Ireland’s top performers.
Featuring Tiarnán Ó Duinnchín (uillean pipes), Arlene McCarroll (sean-nós step dance and flute), Liz Doherty (fiddle), Fintan Valley (flute) and sean nós singer Márie Ní Cholim, Compánach will incorporate the best in Irish music against a backdrop of more than 800 images of musicians and scenery.
It will feature old and new melodies from each of the 32 Irish counties, showcasing different repertoires and styles in a melting pot performances that will thrill and delight music fans
Tickets from the venue on 026 45733.
BRENDAN READY TO SHINE AT THE GLENEAGLE BALLROOM
THE inimitable Brendan Shine will bring his live show to the stage of the Gleneagle Ballroom in Killarney next Tuesday night.
Brendan has released more than 50 albums and has had 45 hit singles during a glittering career that has taken him from his Co Westmeath home to major concert halls around the world.
He shows no sign of slowing down and last years released a ‘Greatest Hits’ album which included classic such as ‘Abbeyscrule’, ‘How Much Time’ and ‘Do You Want Your Oul Lobby Washed Down’.
Tickets for next Monday night’s concert are available from www.ticketmaster.ie priced at €20.